William wilson



No. 624,598. Patented May 9, I899. w. WILSON. EGG 0R FRUIT CASE.

(Application filed Nov. 15, 1897.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheqts-Shaei: l.

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Wifnasiaa v IjwEm uJ' No. 624,598. Patented May 9, I899. W. WILSON.

EGG 0R FRUIT CASE.

(Application filed Nov. 15, 1897.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets8heet 2.

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WILLIAM WILSON, OF LONDON, CANADA.

EGG OR FRUIT CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming" part of Letters Patent No. 624,598, dated May 9, 1899..

Application filed November 151 1897. Serial No. 658,649. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WILSON, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of the township of London, in the county of Middlesex, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a new and useful Egg or Fruit Case, (for which I have received Letters ,Patent in the Dominion of Canada, bearing date September 20, 1897-, No. 57,480,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a case for holding eggs or fruit in the proper carrying position without jolting against each other during transportation, and has for its object the provision of a device simple in construction, cheap in manufacture, and efficient in practical use; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a perspective view of my egg or fruit case, showing the front and top removed and placed a short distance from the case. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the central parti tion or division of the case, partly in section, showing the cleats removed and a cross-sectional View of the case. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the trays containing egg cells or fillers. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of one of the trays. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a set of cells or fillers which are contained in the tray.

A designates a case consisting of the front a, the back a the ends (1 the bottom at, and the top a B designates a central partition or division rigidly secured to the case A in any manner or by any means found most suitable or convenient.

G O designate cleats or battens with which the adjacent faces of the ends a and central division B are provided.

D D designate trays consisting of the upwardly-projecting sides 0 and the bottom 0 constructed integral with or secured to one another in any manner or by any means found most suitable or convenient and formed of one tray to come in contact with another tray or its contents when placed in the case A, and the upwardly projecting sides 0 of which trays in depth are fitted to the space between the cleats or battens O, leaving an opening between the trays D equal to the thickness of said battens O for the purpose of providing space to permit the trays to spring or yield without coming in contact with any of the other trays or their contents, and another result'of leaving this opening equal to the thickness of the battens 0 between the trays D is that every tray rests and slides in and out perfectly free upon itsown individual battens, and thereby avoids and completely prevents the resting of one tray upon another, the object of which construction is the pre venting of breakages, especially where larger or longer eggs project above those of average height, and to further assist in the prevention of breakages oat-hulls, excelsior, or other suitable packing material equal to the thick ness of the cleats or battens may be interposed between the trays D, whereas in the ordinary method of packing eggs, where the fillers are separated by strawboard partitions and one resting upon the other; a large percentage of breakages is the result.

E designates perforations in the bottom of the trays D, which are for the purpose of testing or examining the condition of the eggs.

F F designate the egg cells or fillers, which are fitted to and placed in the trays D.

G G designate extensions which form part of and extend beyond the cells or fillers F F. These extensions G extend across an open space between the cells or fillers and the upwardly-projecting sides of the trays D, and thus form a spring-cushion all around the cells or fillers, on which cushions any jar or injury to which the case is subjected is ex pended before affecting the eggs, and thus assist in preventing breakages.

The cover a is preferably provided with tenons b and with pins 11 which are fitted to the grooveso' and the pin-holes c respectively, of the sides-and back of the case. When placing the cover in position, the tenons b of the cover are inserted in the grooves 15 on the inside face of the ends a when by adjusting the cover until the pins b enter the pin-holes c the cover is firmly secured in position on the case. One advantage of this construction is that all warping of this portion of the case is avoided and completely prevented; but this cover may be secured to this case in any manner or by any suitable means. For instance, the cover may extend over the whole of the top of the case and be nailed or otherwise secured thereto.

p a designates the front of the case in which the opening d is formed, and which front is provided with the keeper (1 and the pins (1 the latter of which engage with the pin-holes 6, formed in the upper side of the bottom a for the purpose of assisting in securing the front in place at this point,and perforated face-plates 6 may be secured to said bottom at around said pin-holes for the purpose of strengthening said bottom at this point.

H designates a spring-catch, one of which is shown secured to the central partition or division B; but one or more of these catches may be used, as preferred. This springcatch H is rigidly held in place, as shown in Fig. 2, by brads or nails a, driven into the partition B and through an opening or pinholes in said catch. This spring-catch is formed with the shoulder 72., with the inclined face if, and with the projection 7L3 for the purposes which will be hereinafter set forth. By placing the pins d in the pin-holes e and pressing the front tightly against the case the inclined face 7L2 of the spring-catch H would ride up over the keeper (1 until the shoulder it would fall on the outside of the keeper, and thus firmly secure the front in place, as shown in Fig. 2.

d is a keyhole-cavity formed on the outside of the front at around the opening cl, and the depth of this keyhole-cavity is equal to the length of the projection 72,3 on the outer end of the spring-catch H, so that this projection h does not extend beyond the outer face of the front ct. The result of this construction is that the accidental opening of the front a will be avoided and completely prevented. At the same time, by engaging a narrow object With the projection 7L Of the spring-catch H and pressing upward thereon until the shoulder h rises above the keeper d the front of the case may be easily and quickly removed for the purpose of examining the contents.

A handhold S may be formed centrally of and near the top of each end a for the purpose of providing convenient means for handling the case; but the case A may be pro- Vided with any means for the convenient handling thereof.

The practical advantages of this invention are that the eggs are surrounded bya springcushion on which is expended any jar or injury to which the case may be subjected without affecting the eggs, thereby avoiding breakages; and, again, the trays D are formed of cardboard of such thickness that they will spring to'a certain extent, but being separated by the cleats or battens C will not spring so that one tray will come in contact with another tray or its contents. This will avoid and completely prevent the eggs from coming in contact with the rigidnessof the wood forming the sides of the case, thereby preventing breakages, the. This springiness of the environments surrounding the eggs in transit is one of the practical advantages as well as one of the best results of the construction of this egg-case as distinct from the rigidness heretofore prevailing in ordinary egg-cases by the weight of the egg-fillers all resting one on top of the other. Again, in a case packed as hereinbefore described the contents will be perfectly safe in whatever position it may be adjusted while handling or during transportation or storage, and, further, in a case constructed as described any or all of the trays in any of the cases maybe readily, easily, and instantly removed and examined as to the number and condition of their contents.

This case has been described particularly for holding eggs; but it maybe used with equal advantage forholding fruit orothermerchandise.

Having thus described my invention I claim In an egg and fruit case, the case A consisting of the front ct, the back a the ends a the bottom (t and the top a the central division B, cleats C secured to the ends and both sides of the central division; the trays D, D, consisting of the sides 0, the perforated bottom 0 the egg cells or fillers F placed in the trays, and provided with the extensions G, combined with the twisted catch H, formed with the inclined shoulder 77,, the inclined face 7L2 and the projection 7L and the brads or nails which are driven down through the top of the partition and through the spring; the front a. being provided with the opening d, and keyhole-cavity (Z and the keeper d with which the spring engages, all combined and arranged to operate substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed in the presence of the two undersigned witnesses.

WVILLIAM VILSON.

YVitnesses:

P. J. EDMUNDS, S. MCB-AIN. 

